An exciting new partnership between an Exeter and an India based company will see rural homes across Devon get ultrafast full fibre optic broadband right to the door of their homes.
Jurassic Fibre, a private company backed by Octopus Investments, has announce a £250million project to deliver a new fibre optic broadband network for rural areas in the South West of England.
It means a new fibre connection will be installed right into people's homes rather than fibre transported from an exchange through copper wiring, as most is done at the moment.
And a chunk of Exeter has been chosen as the first place in the region to launch the venture which will see our area better connected than ever.
Phase one of the network build starts this autumn and will expand to cover areas around Exeter Airport, Sowton Industrial Estate, homes on the eastern side of Exeter and nearby villages including Clyst St Mary, Clyst St George, Sowton Village, Farringdon, Lympstone and Woodbury, and then south to Exmouth.
The network will then roll out to cover areas including Honiton, Tiverton, Barnstaple, Teignmouth, Taunton, Dorchester, Weymouth and Yeovil.
Yesterday at Sandy Park, Jurassic Fibre’s founder and CEO Michael Maltby signed a contract with Carol Wilson, Tata Consultancy Services’ head of Europe and 海角视频 communications, media and information services business unit.
Tata, one of the world’s largest IT service firms and India's largest multinational business group, will be supplying key elements of the software solution for the project.
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Jurrasic Fibre has worked on projects rolling out the superfast internet in areas such as Russia and Jamaica, but never before have they worked with such a rural area.
Michael Maltby, CEO of Jurassic Fibre, said: “This is a big step forward for connectivity in the region and absolutely vital as more and more of the world goes truly digital.
“Jurassic Fibre will be working with communities, councils, businesses and consumers to develop a new fibre to the premises network, bypassing the decades-old copper one that most homes and businesses still rely on for broadband and phone landlines in the South West.
“We are delighted to be partnering with one of the world’s largest technology providers, Tata Consultancy Services. Jurassic Fibre will be taking the internet experience for families and businesses to a whole new level, allowing people to be ‘truly digital’ in their day-to-day lives, making the digital plumbing of the South West a reality in the 21st century.”
Phase one will begin in late 2019, and eventually, 350,000 homes and businesses across the South West will be up to speed with incredibly fast broadband.
Tata Consultancy Services, a company with close to half a million employees operating in 46 countries around the world, is the first of several key partnerships to be announced as part of what ultimately is expected to be a £250m investment in the broadband infrastructure of the region.
“Fibre optic broadband connectivity will enable residents and businesses across the South West of England to realise the potential of digital technology,” said Carol Wilson.
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“Around the world businesses are using digital technology to harness new opportunities and transform their operating models. We are proud to support Jurassic Fibre through the TCS HOBS platform, which will help the company deliver the ultrafast internet speeds to businesses and consumers.”
Local residents can register their interest in the scheme via the Jurassic Fibre website. They also have the opportunity to take part in the Friendly User Testing trial, receiving three months free ultrafast broadband. The service will then be rolled out across other parts of Devon and the South West.
Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, welcomed the announcement and urged a joined up approach to ensure priority areas including schools, businesses and other public amenities are included.
He said: “I know that broadband connectivity and speed is a major issue for so many of my constituents. I am therefore delighted that Jurassic Fibre has chosen this area of the country to announce their first major project.
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“As well as the obvious benefits for households, this exciting new venture will provide a welcome boost to the local economy in terms of jobs and investment, which absolutely depends on outstanding digital connectivity.”
Alongside the major investment and broadband infrastructure roll out, the economic benefits to the region will see new jobs created, including senior management and technical roles. The team at Jurassic Fibre, a mix of South West based employees and telecommunications experts from around the 海角视频 and beyond, is already up to 40 people, with another 40 expected to join over the next six months.